


A Dove and Words

by taawoosazraq1



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Original Fiction, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmates, curtis wheatley, jagat mahal, maybelle wheatley, rada mahal, shruti mahal, sullivan wheatley
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:08:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24460327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taawoosazraq1/pseuds/taawoosazraq1
Summary: Curtis Wheatley and Shruti Mahal were born with soulmarks that broke the generational and traditional ways of their families' way of seeing/finding their soulmate. As they grew up, they felt different in their environments. But when they finally meet each other, there's conflict between the two families. Will they ever accept their children as destined soulmates?
Relationships: Original Character(s)/Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s)/Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character/Original Male Character





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first time writing my own work of fiction besides fanfiction and my first time on AO3. Please tell me what you think and if there are some mistakes or ways I could improve my writing, comment below.
> 
> So, Curtis and Shruti are my OCs and they came to my mind when I was thinking about interracial couples. I made them in Sims 4 to see what they would look like and what kind of jobs and family they would have. What they look like is how I envisioned them to be.

**May 11th, 1987**

Everyone has a soulmate, and everyone meets their soulmate in different ways. Some learn about their soulmates and what they are doing based on the dreams they have, but it becomes blurry to even see what their soulmate looks like. Some are born colorblind and don't see colors until they have met their soulmate.

There are those that have soulmarks. Those marks signify something that will help them in finding their soulmate. Others have a mark shaped as an object or another shape on any part of their body and it glows when they come close to their soulmate. Others have words of what their soulmate will say to them on their wrists and it glows too when their soulmate is nearby. And the rarest kind is a heart song, where one has a song they hear in their heart. They sing it and if another can sing that same song as well, then those two would become soulmates.

Sullivan and Maybelle Wheatley had a baby boy. A healthy pale-colored baby with brown hair. Both his parents were soulmates when they saw each other in their dreams. When they met, it all became clear. It was generational in their families for fifty years. However, Curtis was born with a mark on the left side of his neck. A mark in the shape of a dove. That soulmark broke the tradition of seeing their soulmate via dreams.

"I don't understand how this could happen," Maybelle said as she held her sleeping son in their country-style house. "With that mark on his neck, that means he broke the family tradition of dreams." Maybelle placed her son on the crib in the baby room. "How will he know who his soulmate looks like and what they are doing?"

"Don't worry," Sullivan assured in his faint Southern accent while standing near the door. "He's not that different than any of us. Sure, that mark distinguishes himself from the others. But we'll treat him the same."

"They'll make fun of him when he gets older."

"No. We'll give him the love that he deserves just like any other child would want. He'll have the perfect childhood."

"Maybe you're right." Maybelle pulled the sheets on Curtis and went over to her husband, reaching to his chest. "This could be a mystery to him. He'll figure it out when he gets older. I just wonder what his future will be like." Maybelle felt comfort in her husband's warm arms as he hugged her.

"You mustn't worry so much." The couple left the room, but not before Sullivan turned his head to face the sleeping baby. "Sleep tight, our dove," Sullivan whispered as he and Maybelle left.

* * *

"What is this?!" An Indian man by the name of Jagat Mahal shouted at his wife named Rada who was holding their infant daughter while lying down in the hospital bed. "Her wrist says, 'Oh my God, I'm so sorry'. I thought she was going to have a heart song just like us!"

"Jagat, please calm down!" Rada almost shouted. "You'll wake up Shruti." Shruti was born with the words of her future soulmate on her left wrist. She slept while sucking on her thumb. "Besides, not everyone can have a heart song to find their soulmate. Remember my cousin Pooja? She was born colorblind and she didn't see colors until she met her soulmate."

"I know." Jagat was disappointed as he controlled his temper. He touched his daughter's head softly as she was being held by her mother. "But I was really expecting our daughter to have a heart song just like us. My father had a heart song and his father had one and so on. I wanted this to be our tradition."

"What about our eldest daughter? You mustn't forget about her. She has a heart song and I'm sure you're proud of that."

Shruti was not the Indian couple's first child. They had a firstborn daughter named Hosah and she too had her heart song. It came to her when she was only four years old. She impressed both her parents and they felt very proud of her. For their secondborn daughter and child, it would be difficult to raise her knowing that she was the one born with a physical soulmark.

"Promise me this, Jagat," Rada said as Jagat sat down next to the bed. "Promise me that you will treat Shruti the same just as any of our own."

Jagat sighed and said, "All right. I promise." Then he proceeded to kiss his wife on the forehead. "I hope her soulmate will be Indian."

"Oh, stop it," Rada laughed. "Shruti's soulmate will be whoever it is, whether Indian or white or Christian like us. It doesn't matter, so long as they treat her with love and respect."

The door opened and the couple turned to see that it was a doctor and nurse who had entered. The doctor was a tall and lanky old man of Caucasian descent while the nurse was a young African American woman who was holding a framed birth certificate wrapped in bubble wrap so as not to break it.

"Well, Mr. and Mrs. Mahal," the doctor began to speak, "the paperwork has been done and you and your daughter can go home. We just need you to sign out and that's all."

"Thank you, doctor," Jagat said.

"Here's your daughter's birth certificate," the nurse handed the framed certificate to Jagat. "Congratulations on your daughter. You must be so proud."

"Oh, we are, aren't we, Jagat?" Rada asked while staring at Shruti.

"Yes, we are," Jagat said nonchalantly.


	2. Confrontation

**September 15th, 1995**

Curtis got out of his bed and went to the bathroom to wash himself before going downstairs to eat breakfast. After drying himself up, he walked down the stairs and saw his father sitting at the dining table eating his breakfast while reading the newspaper. Maybelle finished putting breakfast on Curtis's plate, which consisted of sunny-side-up eggs and two pieces of toast. Maybelle also put a glass of orange juice next to Curtis's plate.

"Good morning, Curtis," Maybelle greeted with his cheery smile. Sullivan greeted his son just by tipping his cap.

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad," Curtis said as he began to eat his breakfast. Maybelle sat down as well.

"So how was your sleep? Did you dream of anything or anyone?"

"Maybelle, you know the boy can't see his soulmate via his dreams," Sullivan said.

"I know. I was just trying to lighten things up. Joke around a little, you know."

"It's okay, Dad," Curtis said after drinking his juice. "I can tell you that my soulmate was probably thinking about me."

"Well then," Maybelle laughed. "Let me see your mark." Curtis turned his neck towards his parents' view, and it was the same as always: that dove mark. "Hmm, same as always." She turned to the clock and saw it was seven-fifteen. "Ooh, you better finish up your breakfast and get ready. The bus will come in thirty minutes. And I have to get to the clinic on time."

_Maybelle worked as a vet technician at the local vet. She specialized in helping small animals, like cats and dogs. She had gotten calls to help large animals like horses and cattle since she had studied equine and bovine science back at college._

Maybelle put her plate and mug in the sink and grabbed her purse. "Guys, your lunches are on the counter. I'll see you tonight at five." Maybelle kissed her son on the head as he finished his breakfast and her husband on the lips, which disgusted Curtis. She then left the door and it was just Sullivan and Curtis.

Curtis took a shower, dried himself, and prepared to wear his clothes. He brushed his brown wavy hair to make it look good and he wasn't trying to impress anyone. He grabbed his backpack and said goodbye to his father while grabbing his lunch. He headed out his home and walked to his bus stop which was two streets away.

As he got there, he noticed some of the kids there were silent as they were staring at his soulmark. He tried not to worry about their stares as he mentally said to himself, _It's another school day. Just get through the day without worrying about anyone staring at your mark._ Curtis was the only kid in his neighborhood who had a soulmark. The other kids had colorblindness or could see their soulmate through their dreams.

* * *

During the school day, it was the usual routine for Curtis: math class, language arts, lunch, recess, history, and science. During half of the day, Curtis would feel fine and he wouldn't feel ostracization from the other kids. He had a few friends who shared the same soulmark like his, but they were of different shapes. It was during lunchtime that Curtis felt vulnerable whenever he would ask one of the teachers to use the restroom. When he went to the restroom, he did his business and washed his hands and he felt like he was being followed.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Curtis Wheatley," a teasing voice shuttered Curtis. He turned to see a boy with long blond hair that reached to his ears and freckles. He was the same age as Curtis, but from a different class.

"What do you want, Timothy?"

"What? I can't see my 'best friend' in the whole world?" Curtis didn't like the way he teased him and bragged about him.

"We're not friends, Timothy. Just leave me alone."

"It's Tim, you retard. Only my dad calls me Timothy." Timothy circled around Curtis like a vulture and pushed him towards the sink. "Everyone in your neighborhood knows you're a freak."

"I'm not the only kid in school with a soulmark on their body, you know."

"I know, but I'm focusing on you." He then turned to see Curtis's mark of the dove on his neck. "A bird? What kind of gay shit is that? Like anyone would ever love you besides your mommy."

"At least I have one unlike _you_."

Timothy felt offended and punched Curtis on the face. Curtis saw blood coming out of his nose. "That'll teach you to insult me."

"Leave him alone, Timothy!" The two boys turned to see a Hispanic girl who had short black hair and wore bracelets on her right arm to conceal her future soulmate's words. Her name was Lluvia. She hated being the girly girl, so she wore boy clothes. She was the one who cared most about Curtis and didn't care that he had a soulmark.

"What are you doing here, dyke?!" Timothy shouted. "This is the boys' room! Get out of here! This isn't your business."

"I don't care and my name is Lluvia! Remember it! What's your problem?! You can't take five minutes off without picking on Curtis! I'm starting to think this bullying of yours is you being jealous! Admit it!"

"Jealous? Of this faggot?"

"I think it's cool he has a mark of a _paloma_ on his neck while we are stuck with the cliché words of our future soulmates. Like anyone would love you."

Timothy was speechless because of her attitude and the way that she defended Curtis. He left Curtis and walked to the restroom door. "Whatever, losers. I don't have time for this." He stormed out and Lluvia went to pick up Curtis off the floor.

"You didn't have to do that, Lluvia," Curtis nasally spoke. "I could've handled him."

"Yeah, with that bloody nose, I don't think so."

Lluvia and Curtis walked out of the bathroom and to the nurse's room. Lluvia and Curtis told the nurse what happened and contacted Curtis's teacher who contacted the principal who contacted Curtis and Timothy's fathers. The nurse took a pack of ice and Curtis applied it on his face until he waited for his father at the principal's office. The principal was a white man who looked to be about in his forties with graying hair. Besides Curtis and the principal, Timothy and his father, a tall barrel-shaped man with brown hair, were present. His father glared at his son for hearing about what he had done. Timothy felt regret and could barely look at his father's glare. The door opened to see Sullivan, and everyone turned to see.

"Thank you for coming in, Mr. Wheatley," the principal spoke. "Please have a seat." Sullivan did as he was told and sat next to Curtis on the right side of the office. Timothy and his father sat on the left side of the office.

"What happened to Curtis?" Sullian asked while looking at the damage Curtis got.

"Well, one of Curtis's friends saw him being harassed by Timothy and she heard him use insulting language while also making fun of his soulmark."

"Believe me, sir," Timothy's father spoke, "Timothy has never done this kind of behavior before. It's just his mother died a year ago and he has been grieving for her."

"I see, but that does not excuse him for picking on others just because they're different and because he's going through a difficult time. Timothy, do you have anything to say?"

"I didn't mean to punch Curtis," Timothy whimpered. "It's just he insulted me and I couldn't let him say that to me." Curtis listened and looked at Timothy questioningly.

"What you did to Curtis was unacceptable. We do not tolerate bullying in this school." The principal turned to Curtis. "Curtis, you shouldn't have said those things to Timothy. You should've known better."

"I'm sorry for my son's behavior," Tim's father added in. "It won't happen again."

"It won't because Timothy, you are suspended for a month until you change your behavior."

"What?!" Timothy shouted. "You can't do that!"

"It's already done. While you are out of school, you will go to a child therapist the school recommended where you will be examined weekly until your progress improves." The principal then handed a card of the child therapist to Tim's father who put it in his shirt's pocket. "And Curtis, next week, you'll be spending a day after school to reflect on your behavior."

"Sounds reasonable," Sullivan agreed while glaring at Curtis, but not in a menacing way.

"That's not fair!" Timothy stomped.

"You need to learn that your actions have consequences," the principal spoke. "And if you can't say anything nice, don't say it at all. Both of you boys, look at each other and apologize." Both boys looked at each other and refused to utter the words until Curtis started.

"I'm sorry for insulting you."

"What do you say, Timothy?" Tim's father added.

"I'm sorry too."

"For?" Curtis asked.

"For making fun of you and punching you. I shouldn't have done it."

"Good," the principal said. "You all can go now." The boys and fathers stepped out of the office and Curtis and Sullivan saw Timothy being pulled by his ear. Curtis giggled mentally while thinking of what was going to happen to Tim and he exhaled lightly, knowing that he won't be bullied by the blond boy anymore.

* * *

It was around dinnertime when Maybelle and Sullivan decided to talk about what happened at school. "Curtis, we need to talk about what happened at school," Maybelle began the conversation.

"Do we?" Curtis questioned while eating his peas from his plate.

"Yes, son," Sullivan answered. "We never taught you to insult others. What Timothy did to you was wrong, but what you said was low even for you."

"He provoked me. I told him to leave me alone, but he wouldn't listen."

"Yes, but his mother died a year ago," Maybelle included. "You don't insult someone's parents like that."

"But if someone insulted you or Dad, I would've punched them too."

"Violence never solves anything," Sullivan said while his tone increased. "No matter how insulting someone can be, you can't resort to violence. Just walk away."

"Tell that to Timothy. He's been bothering me ever since the school year started last month."

"Why didn't you tell anyone like your teacher or the principal or us?" Maybelle and Sullivan were shocked to hear that this bullying had been happening for a month. "We're your parents. We need to know if there's a problem with you."

"I handle my own problems."

"Some problems cannot be handled single-handedly."

"Why was I born with that stupid dove mark?!" Curtis changed the subject while holding back tears.

"Why do you ask that?" Maybelle asked after sipping her iced tea.

"Because I feel like an outcast at my school." Curtis then let the tears come out of his eyes and Sullivan put his hands on his son's shoulders. "I know there are other kids that have marks on their bodies just like me, but I feel like the only one in my school. Why couldn't I be born colorblind or have words on my wrists or see my soulmate in my dreams like you? I wish I could have what everyone else have."

"No, son. Don't say stuff like that." Sullivan soothed Curtis. "Don't ever wish to be but what you are. You were born to be outside the box and not like everybody else."

Curtis wiped the tears out of his eyes and sniffled. "Well, Lluvia thought it was cool to have a dove as a soulmark."

"And it is cool," Maybelle complimented. "I wish I had a soulmark like yours." Maybelle laughed while Curtis and Sullivan joined in.

"Anyway, I'm sure there's someone out there who would love you for your mark," Sullivan continued his conversation. "Let them love you for who you are, not for what you should have or be." Sullivan saw the clock was eight-forty and it was almost Curtis's bedtime. "Bedtime, my son. It's been a long day."

"I never get to stay up late like you guys," Curtis yawned.

"Young boys like you need to sleep early," Maybelle chuckled. "Go change into your pajamas."

Curtis put his finished dish in the sink, washed his hands, and went to the bathroom to change. He adorned his blue pajamas and his parents accompanied him upstairs to his room.

"You must go to sleep now," Sullivan said. Curtis got in his bed and his mother tucked the sheets on him.

"Good night, Curtis."

"Good night, Mom. Good night, Dad."

"Good night, our dove."

The mother and father left the room and closed the lights. Curtis somewhat felt better after the day's events and drifted off into a deep slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the longest chapter I have ever written. So, in here, Curtis is 8 years old and in the 2nd grade. I decided to see Curtis's soulmark as a target of bullying while Shruti not wanting to think about romance a lot because of her soulmark and not wanting to join in the girls' fantasy of their encounter with their future soulmates. I don't how or when I'll write the chapter since I'll be starting a summer class in a few days.


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